FINAL: Germany v Argentina 13 June BBC/ITV 2000

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Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn

It's over for Messi and it was over a long time ago for Ronaldo, although I'd say he was closer than Messi ever was to being acknowledged as genuine all time elite because he did the business for two clubs in two different countries whereas Messi has been cosseted at a dominant Barcelona his whole career. Frankly the comparisons to Pele were ludicrous anyway, there's a guy who is synonymous with the World Cup and delivering at the pinnacle. Maradona, obviously a genius technically (like Messi) but lots of question marks and baggage there too. Zidane ranks higher than Messi and Ronaldo in my opinion. He's the one who should be spoken of as a challenger to the title of greatest ever, although it's hard to see how Pele will ever be surpassed in terms of achievement.

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Maradonna for me has always been something special because for me he pretty much single handedly won the 1986 world cup, so many pundits have been talking about how this current Argentina side is all pretty average apart from Messi (something i don't agree with anyway) but compare it to 1986 where that genuinely was the case....players like Valdano, Burruchaga, Brown, Ruggeri, Pumpidou were all pretty average unremarkable players who never would have come close to a world cup without Diego Maradonna.

I think the same argument can be made similarly for Zidane especially in 2006, that French side was ageing in many areas, average in many areas yet Zidane at 34 single handedly almost brought them to the cusp of triumph once again, and i firmly believe had he not stupidly got himself sent off that France would have gone on to win that world cup.

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Originally Posted by Steve French

You are forgetting about ROONEY!!!!!!! He scored a goal!

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Poor lad all that suffering to negotiate his pay rise, he deserved it, god bless him and all the pensioners that ride on him. :cloud9:

Another World Cup, another country we should apparently be emulating.

I wonder who it will be in 2018.

Germany probably. Or maybe Russia, who will definitely get through to the final on merit.

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Originally Posted by Borini Is Boss

Another World Cup, another country we should apparently be emulating.

I wonder who it will be in 2018.

Germany probably. Or maybe Russia, who will definitely get through to the final on merit.

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So emulating countries like Germany, France and Spain who in the last fifteen-twenty years have won the world cup by developing young talent through a national academy system and improved their grassroots infrastructure is a bad idea?

Well i can understand how B Leagues and token quota systems might be considered a much better idea

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Originally Posted by Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie

So emulating countries like Germany, France and Spain who in the last fifteen-twenty years have won the world cup by developing young talent through a national academy system and improved their grassroots infrastructure is a bad idea?

Well i can understand how B Leagues and token quota systems might be considered a much better idea

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No, I forgot to put in another sentence.

What I meant to say is that there is all the talk of emulating these countries and then won't actually do anything about it. And come 2018 we'll do it all again.

In hindsight, "apparently" was a stupid word choice.

I think Martin Samuel should be the German manager so he can drop Ozil. I think he's done a really bad job as the England manager though.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...12_634x443.jpg

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Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...12_634x443.jpg

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is he going to bury that in the sand, because he looks like he really wants to

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Originally Posted by Borini Is Boss

No, I forgot to put in another sentence.

What I meant to say is that there is all the talk of emulating these countries and then won't actually do anything about it. And come 2018 we'll do it all again.

In hindsight, "apparently" was a stupid word choice.

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ah well in that case i agree completley

Pods denies his own kid from the spot during win celebrations. Shows a good competitive attitude tbf.

https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/2AC...Du6vVXsDcuXiig